Improvement in velocipedes



HoLsKE & BABBHL Veloci pede.

Patented June' 8, 1869.

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d WILLIAM F. HOLSKE AND B. T. BABBITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Latas Peteur No. 91,018, amd .new s, 1ste.

IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCIPEDES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part'. of the same.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatwe,WInLrAM F. HoLsxn and B. T. BABBITL of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Velocipedes; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation, partly in section, of our improved velocipede.l

Figure 2 is a plan or top view, partly in section, of the same.

Figures 3\aud 4 are detail side views, on an enlarged scale, of the driving-mechanism. f

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The main object of this invention is to produce a novel mechanism for propelling velocipedes and other vehicles by means of muscular or other power', said power being applied by persons, animals, or machines placed upon and conveyed by the said vehicles.

' The invention consists in the application of frictionclutches to the edges of wheels to be revolved, said clutches being preferably made in form of frictionrollers, operated by suitable mechanism.

The invention consists, also, in so arranging `the aforesaid friction clutches, in pairs or oscillating frames, that they can be readily thrown in or out of gea-r, topropel the machine in either direction.

A, in the drawing, represents the driving-axle of our improved velocipede.

It has its bearings in a frame, B, of suitable form l and construction, andmay be in front or rear of the frame, as may be desired.

In the drawing, it is represented in rear, .the front end of the frame being supported by the steering-wheel C, hung in a swivel-post, D, as shown.

The steering-post can, by means of suitable mechanism, be operated. l

The drawing represents a jointed rod, E, which is, by means of bevel-gear wheels a a, connected with the steering-post.

The driving-axle A is hung in or-supported by two wheels, F F.

On the axle are mounted two disks,b l), at suitable distances apart. Y

To the edges of these disks, by means of friction tion-clutches or pawls, the requisite power is applied.

The friction-pawls we prefer to make iu form of small rollers, c c', which are, with their projecting axleends, fitted through slots, d d', of plates G.

These plates Gr are suspended from the axle A, one on each side of each disk b and the two, on the sides of each disk, are connected with each other by pins or bolts, e e.

There is one roller,`o, in front, and one, c', in rear of each disk-' The slots f, inthe middle portions of the plates G, are of invert-ed U-shaped form, or they may be said to be square, with lips, g, suspended from above, as shown.

When the plates are so suspended that the lips g are in frot of the axle, as in gs. 1 and 3, the rear roller will, with its edge, be in' contact with the disk b. When, however, the lip g is iu rear. of the axle, as in tig. 4, the front roller, c, will lbe in gear, as shown.

The slots d dare not concentric to the axle, but are somewhat nearer, at their lower ends, to the axle, so that the roller in gear is wedged in between its bearing and the edge of the disk b.

When, therefore, the plates Gare so swung on the axle as to carry the roller which is in contact with the disk upward, the roller will be forced against the `disk, and will, by its friction, propel the same.

Thus, in fig. 3, the axle will be revolved in the direction of the arrow 1, when the plates Gr` are swung in the same direction, while, in the position shown i'n iig.. 4, the axle can only be turned in the direction of the arrow 2. Levers H H are connected with the plates G, so that the latter may readily be adjusted on the axle in the position of figs. 3-or 4, as it may be desired to move backward or forward.

The plates G are, by means of rods h h, connected with the ends of a cross-bar, i, of a vertical arborf j, said arbor having itsv bearings in the frame, as shown. l v

A cross-head, lc, is formed on the upper end of the arbor j, and' has pivoted foot-supports, l Z, at its ends.

cillate the arbor j, he will oscillate the plates G 'in opposite directions, vcausing the clutch-roller of one t0 act while the other is drawn back for the next stroke. Continuous action 1s thus imparted to the axle A.

This device is peculiarly adaptable to ladies use, as

the action required for propelling the vehicle is easy and simple.

A steam or atmospheric engine may also be placed upon the frame, to propel the device.

We do not confine ourselves to the particular mode of arranging the friction-clutches as above described, but consider it as our invention to apply them in any other suitable form to the edge of a disk or-wheel on a velocipede or other vehicle.

Having thus described our invention,

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The application of reversible friction-clutches, .working against the edges of disks or wheels, as de- `The rider has4 the feet in the supportsl, and, as he moves them alternately backward and forward, to os" scribed, to propel a veloeipede, or other vehicle, and described, for the purpose of reversing the motion specied. of the vehicle, as specified.

2. The pivoted plates G, carrying the friction-roll- WM. F. EOLSKE. i ers c c', in eccentric slots,'a.s described, and so ar- B. T. BAlSBITT. ranged as to be adjustable on the driving-axle, so reverse the motion, as speeiiied. Witnesses:

FRANK BLOGKLEY, ALEX. F. ROBERTS.

3. The levers H H, when arranged, to Iadjust the plates G, on the axle A, substantially as herein shown 

